ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a need for further data on the COVID-19 situation in Norway. Our aim was to describe the patients admitted to our local hospital with COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Data were retrieved retrospectively from our local quality register for COVID-19 and include all patients admitted to Østfold Hospital in the period 10 March 2020-31 May 2020. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were admitted, of whom 47 (67 %) were men. The mean age was 59 years (range 18-95). The most common comorbid conditions were obesity (n = 22, 31 %), chronic coronary artery disease (n = 21, 30 %) and diabetes (n = 17, 24 %). Thirteen patients (19 %) had no comorbidities. The most common symptoms were cough (n = 56, 80 %), dyspnoea (n = 51, 73 %) and fever (n = 48, 69 %). The most frequent complications were cardiac manifestations (n = 18, 26 %), acute respiratory distress syndrome (n = 14, 20 %) and acute kidney injury (n = 9, 13 %). Four (6 %) patients developed venous thromboembolism. Twenty patients (29 %) became critically ill. Thirteen (19 %) received treatment in the intensive care unit, and seven (10 %) died while in hospital. INTERPRETATION: Most of those admitted were middle-aged men. Many had no comorbidities. The most frequent non-respiratory complications were cardiac manifestations and kidney injury. A large proportion of patients became critically ill secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19/therapy , Comorbidity , Critical Illness , Female , Hospitals , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Norway/epidemiology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/virology , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: On-going risk behaviour can lead to hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection following successful treatment. We aimed to assess the incidence of persistent HCV reinfection in a population of people who inject drugs (PWID) who had achieved sustained virological response (SVR) seven years earlier. METHODS: In 2004-2006 we conducted a multicentre treatment trial comprising HCV genotype 2 or 3 patients in Sweden, Norway and Denmark (NORTH-C). Six months of abstinence from injecting drug use (IDU) was required before treatment. All Norwegian patients who had obtained SVR (n=161) were eligible for participation in this long-term follow-up study assessing virological and behavioural characteristics. RESULTS: Follow-up data were available in 138 of 161 (86%) individuals. Persistent reinfection was identified in 10 of 94 (11%) individuals with a history of IDU prior to treatment (incidence rate 1.7/100 person-years (PY); 95% CI 0.8-3.1) and in 10 of 37 (27%) individuals who had relapsed to IDU after treatment (incidence rate 4.9/100 PY; 95% CI 2.3-8.9). Although relapse to IDU perfectly predicted reinfection, no baseline factor was associated with reinfection. Relapse to IDU was associated with age <30 years (vs. ⩾40 years) at treatment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.03; 95% CI 1.78-27.8) and low education level (aOR 3.64; 95% CI 1.44-9.18). CONCLUSIONS: Over time, persistent HCV reinfection was common among individuals who had relapsed to IDU after treatment. Reinfection should be systematically addressed and prevented when providing HCV care for PWID.
